Cuts 'damaging morale of soldiers'

British soldiers' morale is being damaged by spending cuts which could undermine the operation in Afghanistan in the long term, the head of the Army has warned in a leaked memo.

Chief of the General Staff General Sir David Richards said spending cuts were having a "cumulative and corrosive" effect on military personnel and their families.

In the memo, which reported on an internal poll of 5,000 soldiers and their families in Britain, Germany and Cyprus, he said tightening purse strings could damage the Army's ability to keep and recruit soldiers.

Their experience when they came back to the UK between tours was "deteriorating", he said, leaving troops and their loved ones feeling undervalued.

According to the Sunday Times, Sir David wrote: "My greatest concern...is the deteriorating experience of soldiers and their families...between tours which the team reports is disaffecting attitudes, damaging morale and risks undermining our ability to sustain the campaign."

He went on: "To maintain the necessary moral and cohesion, they must see tangible signs between tours that they and their families are valued."

"As CGS, I register an early concern about the impact on morale, the potentially severe downstream impact on retention and our ability to sustain the campaign in the longer term."

Rising costs have forced the Ministry of Defence to make cuts in office staff as well as areas deemed lower priority for military personnel such as refurbishing accommodation.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The report notes that soldiers feel increasingly well supported and resourced on operations and praises medical care in-theatre and in the UK. It also relays concerns about the effect of financial pressure on activity in between operational tours and provides early warning of the resulting impact on morale. Resources are tight at the moment and Afghanistan is the main effort."